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At any given moment, we have at least one snack each in our possessions. We have snacks stashed in every bag, glove compartment, suitcase, desk drawer, and even a few jacket pockets. Our elite-level snacking habits recently resulted in what is now referred to as “The Epic Ant Invasion Of 2014”.

The reason for our snack obsession is simple: neither of us enjoys being hungry. We also don’t enjoy being caught somewhere, snackless and faced only with the dismal offerings of a vending machine. Or worse… a “hangry” and snackless person is too easily persuaded by the alluring smell of cinnamon buns and pretzels at the mall or even by yesterday’s stale donuts in the office kitchen (you know you’ve been there).

Snacking between meals isn’t right for everyone, but it is something to consider if you feel ravenous on a 3-squares-a-day plan (me, me!). When hunger kicks in, sensibility flies out the window. We’d all like to forget that time we dove head-first into that basket of bread or tortilla chips before we even ordered dinner (guilty as charged).

Snacks keep hunger at bay (and sensibility in check) and they can provide an extra boost of nutrition… when done right.

Snacking has a dark side. Between-meal snacks are singlehandedly blamed for the sharp increase in American calorie consumption since the 1970’s. So where does snacking take a wrong turn? In 2 places: 1) when you eat “snack foods” rather than “whole foods”, and 2) when you simply add snacks in without subtracting from your main meals. So skip the chips, cookies, and candy bars. Snack on whole foods like fruit, veg, nuts, edamame, and hummus. Adjust the portions of your meals and snacks so you feel ready to eat (but not ravenous) when you begin and satisfied (but not stuffed) when you end.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well-incorporated. If the mixture is too wet or too dry, simply add more of the wet or dry ingredients until you have a not-to-sticky mixture that will hold together.

Wet hands, and roll about 1 tbsp. of the mixture into a bite-sized ball. Repeat.

Pop in the freezer for 10-15 min. to firm up. Store in a covered container in the fridge.

When batches of bites don’t happen on Sundays, we reach for another favorite: LARABAR. This is one of the only bars I will buy because the ingredients are whole and simple. My favorite flavor, Cashew Cookie, has just TWO ingredients! Simple snacking at its best.

It’s GIVEAWAY time! As a LARABAR Ambassador, my kind friends at LARABAR sent me samples to share with you!

What you get if you win: 20 LARABARs of 5 different flavors, including a few of my favorites: Cashew Cookie and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip; and a super cool LARABAR sticker so that everyone knows you too are an elite-level snacker.

7 Responses to “True Bites + A Giveaway!”

Reblogged this on Devour Your Day and commented:
Snacks + LARABAR Giveaway!
There’s no way around it, snacking is what gets me through a day. I have learned that if I allow myself to become starving or ravenous, I get cranky and tired, and that is when I make poor choices: overeating and making unhealthy food selections. I always have at least one or two snacks throughout the day to keep me energized and fueled all day long.
Head over the Running on Sunshine for a great “True Bites” snack recipe. I make these “energy bites” quite often. The great part about them is you can put whatever ingredients you have in your pantry! I recently made some with peanut butter, oats, whole wheat flour, honey, and chia seeds. I love them to refuel post workout or to tackle those mid-day munchies. The fiber and protein fill me up quickly and keep me satisfied.
Running on Sunshine is also giving away LARABAR samples to one lucky winner! This would be a great way to try out LARABAR if you haven’t already!
Happy Sunday 🙂